Thermostatic valve mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet -55 I 58 Jose mow ill,

h A- Gerr O RNYS I J. A. CERNY THERMOSTATIC VALVE MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1937 Feh 13, 1940.

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Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERMOSTATICVALY'E MECHANISM Joseph A. Corny, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Titan Valve and Manufacturing Company Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 3, 1937, Serial No. 157,150

' '11 Claims. (o1. ass-4s) Ihis invention relates to thermostatic valve mechanism, such as is used :ior controlling the flow of gas to a fuel burner used for heating water, as in connection with domestic hot water heating, where the. mechanism is sensitive to the i temperature of the water to be heated.

One obiect of the invention is to provide improved mechanism of this kind which is of compact form and of reduced over-all length and so arranged that when installed on a water boiler I allthe parts lie very close to the boiler and do not project out therefrom so .far as with previous 20 levers connected by a spring, both ofsaid levers being movable at both ends, both being operated at one end by the thermostatic control devices, and the two levers and spring, by their joint operation, actuating a valve operating lever with.

25 snap action. r

A further object of the inventionis to provide improved valve mechanism of this kind in which the valve and valve operating lever have motion in a plane transverse to the axis of the thermostatic rod instead of generally in line with 01' parallel to the length of said rod, as in prior con structions.

A further object is toprovide valve mechanism of this kind including in one mechanism not only the thermostatic snap action control mechanism and valve, but also the main valve or gas cook ordinarily referred to as the ,A valve and also another valve for controlling a pilot line, ordinarily referred to as the 13 valve, the entire construction nevertheless being compact and of minimum size.

A further object is to provide valve mechanism 1 of the kind described, including snap action devices, and in which the'adjustment for temperature is a rotatable member coaxial with the ther-' mostatic elements and accessible at the front of and in part Further objects are in part obvious will appear more clearly from the description to follow. I

In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation on the line l-l, Fig 2, through valve mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-1,

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section on the line 3--3, Fig. 2, the pilot valve plug being shown in plan view;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation from the. left in Fig. 2,

showing the temperature regulating device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view, corresponding to Fig. 1, and showing certain of the operating levers and other mechanism;

Fig. 6 isa side elevation from the right in Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a sectional plan view on approximately the line 1--I, Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional plan view on the line 8-8, Fig, 6; 1

' Fig. 9 is a sectional detail elevation on approximately the line 9 9, Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional plan view, corre sponding to Fig. 3, but also showing the valve 26 plug and inner parts in section; and

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view, illustrating a supporting member.

The valve mechanism shown in the drawings comprises a hollow casing or body I provided with a base connection 2, shown as internally threaded, for connection to the water tank, such as by threaded connection to a nipple 3 screwed into a spud 4 on the tank 5. 6 illustrates an outer casing or jacket for the tank, spaced from the tank wall Eby' insulation I, Fig. 2 illustrating how the valve parts in the present construction may be brought and lie very close to the jacket 6. The

valve body I is provided with an inner chamber 8 extending into hollow arms 9, I0 lying at an angle to each other, the arm 9 enclosing the lever mechanism and the arm Hithe valve mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1. Above and between the arms 9 and Hi the casing is provided with an opening to receive a tapered gas cook Ii having an operating head i 2 exposed at the front of thevalve mechanism and held to its seat by a spring l3, Fig. 2. This valve H is the A valve and its port controls flow of gas from the supply connection I4 to the chamber 8 by way of the valve inthe hollow arm -I 0, as will later appear.

On the line side of the valve H is located a 3 valve for a pilot line. This valve, shown in Figs. 3 and 10, comprises a tapered plug i5, said plug being held to its seat by a spring l6 enclosed in a hollow plug II. Attached to the outer end of Y the plug is an operating head or handle as nonrotatably 'secured to the plug beneath the head of a. screw 29, removal of which affords access to a channel within the plug in which is threaded a small volume adjusting plug 25, the inner end of which may be adjusted to more or less restrict the how of gas from the supply channel l lc lay way of a port 22 and through a channel 25% in the to a connection to the pilot line 2% (Fig. 3). By removing screw a screwdriver may be insorted into the slot of member 2 for adjusting. it to control the how through pilot line, the screw 2:; being restored to enclose ends-cheese the plug to prevent unauthorized manipulation ofv this adjusting device.

By rotating the plug 55 by its handle 53 flowv through the pilot line may be permitted or wholly shut cfi, as will be obvious. "j As before stated, hollow arm at encloses the. thermostatically operated valve, which may be of ordinary form. It is shown as including a valve 2! cooperating with" a seat at the edges of-B port or opening 28, said valve being mounted on a stem 29 and normally held to its seat by e. spring.- l 3!? enclosed within a plug 3| threaded into-the, casing. Qn said plug is sleeved a filter screen 32 and within it is threaded a guide 33 having or opening through which the valve stem slides. 3y unscrewing the plug 35 thevalve, screen, plug; guide, and spring maybe removed as a. unitior' replacement, adjustment or repair. 1

The thermostatic elements may be of any suit able form and as shown comprise a member relatively expansibleby heat, such ssthe copper tube; 34 threaded at 35 into the'casing, and a member relatively non-expenslble by heat, such as the steel rod 36 threaded at 31 into a plug 38 threaded into tube 54. The inner end of rod 38 is threaded'at 39 into anadjusting member 49 provided at its outer end with a. head 4r longitudi-f nally ribbed to correspond 'with andsliding within ribs in a 'recessfl of an operator 43-pr0v'lded; .with ahead. 44 accessible atthe-outside of and at the front-of the casing; Member 43 is rotatable in but is sealed within the casing wall, for 1 which purposeit is provided with a tapered col-V lar 46 (Fig. 2) to receive a packing l1 compressed by a gland nut 58. On therod. 36, at the inner end of member his a ring 9 yleldingly pressed 1 toward the casing Wall by a compression spring to. Said ringls provided on opposite sides of the rod 35 with knife edges 5i engaging seats inc generally L-shaned lever member 52 (Fig. 9) having recesses to receive knife edge bearing members 53 formed as tongues from a. base memher or support 54 which, generally spealu'ngyin plan view is dish-shaped to fit the curve of the inner surface of the casing wall. The rod 36 extends through a hole in base :55 and the latter is held to its seat on the casing wall by the pressure of expansion of tube 3Q. Theside walls. of support 54 extend. forwardly or into the gas chemoer, their lower edges being bent inwardly to 7 form fixed knife edges or -hearing?supports "55 which enter recesses in two levers marked 56, respectively. As shown in Figs? and 9, the lever" 52 has a forwardly extending lower aunts, the} front end of which is formed to provide two hear ing members, marked 5&3, v tifi which respectively eneage'the short arms of. theievers 5t, 5?. The long arms of said levers extend. upwardly at an angle into the chamber within the arm Q, where lever 58 has connected to itsfree end aloopsl of an extensible tension spring $2; a loop $3 st the other. end of which lsconnected to a valve the dead center line coon: where the ends o spring are connected reoperating lever G having one end bent laterally to form a knife edge perched at 65 in a laterally extending portion of lever 5'5, while the other end 6% of the lever to lies opposite to the end of the valve 2'5 and has snap motion back and forth in l e direction of the ams of said valve, as will appear. 7

heap ectioo or cruel: movement v to, in one direction or the other, is produced .23 move ment of its pivot point 55 each and forth across lug two points epectlvely to lever Z and lever 5 well known mahner. 5 in full lines shows the parts in valve open position and in dotted lines valve closed position. Assuming the parts in "full line position, with the valve open, gas 01 course is flowing to the heater and the temperature of the water is rising. When the temperature rises to the degree determined by the setting of the thermostat, tube 3 3 expands and rod 36 moves to the right (as viewed in Figs. 8 and 9), carrying with itadiusting member so and the knife edge meme her so, turning lever 52 around its hearing at 53 in the clockwise direction, thereby raising the outer end of its horizontal smEB. Referrm'g new to Fig. 5, upward movement of arm 58 turns the lever h? clockwise and the'lever 5S counter-.

clockwise, moving the pivot point cc to the right in Fig. 5 until'said pivot passes the dead center line aforesaid, when lever til moves by a snap action from the full line to the dotted line posi- Y tion, permitting thevslve to close. The temperature of the water-then will gradually fall until the predetermined low temperature limit is reached-when the contraction of tube 3:; causes reverse action of the same parts with snap movement of lever Be in the opposite direction to-the fullline'positrlon, thereby opening the valve. This action. occursfas'tollows: 'With the parts in the dotdash'position of Fig.5 levers 51 and 68 are held there by the engagement of the end. 56 of love: with thelower, solid portion of lever 51. Spring 62, exerting a pressure on tongue 63 against the outer face of lever 51, tends to turn the latter counterclockwise but such movement isi'eslsted at fulcrum 60. Spring 82 tends to turn lever 58 in aclockwise direction but this move-' ment of levers 52 andfil, and clockwise movement of'lever 5% under the influence or" spring 2. When the line of tension of the spring passes to the-right oi fulcrum $53 (as viewed in Fig. 5) snap mavernwt of lever 55 counterclockwise to the full line position will occur; thus openingvalve 2t.

Quring variations in temperature or the water rod es moves endwise back and forth carryin with it member 35, but the splined ,or connection 6 l =22 leaves unafiected the driving relotion between member 39 and the adjusting device with itsoperatlug head fil l accessible on the outside of-thecasing. Preferably said head ls pi'ovided with a circumferential slot '56 torec'ei've a-securlngscrew ll, the-ends of the slot I limiting the adjustingmovementin'opposltedlcasing and prevents the parts from falling apart while being assembled.

Reference to Fig. 2 illustrates how comparatively shallow the outer casing and its contained parts is. In other words, both the levers and the valve are in the same plane and particularly a plane transverse to the axis of the thermostatic elements, instead of projecting endwise out- Wardly parallel to or alongside of the thermo- Preferably the threaded connections between rod 36 and member 40, between rod 36 and plug 38 and between plug 38 and tube 34 are all of the same pitch, so that upon rotative adjustment 'of member 40 relative rotation at any of the threaded connections described will effect longitudinal adjustment of rod 36 for setting the device for temperature.

Further advantages of the invention will, be apparent to those-skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing, an actuating lever pivoted in said casing, two oppositely disposed intermediate levers pivoted in said casing and each having a short arm operated by said actuating lever, a valve operating leverpivoted on the long arm of one of said intermediate levers, a tension spring connecting said valve operating lever to the long arm of the other intermediate lever, and a valve operated by the valve operating lever.

2. Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing containing a support, an actuating lever pivoted on said support, two oppositely disposed intermediate levers pivoted on said support and each having a short armoperated by said actuating lever, a valve operating lever pivoted on the long arm of one of said intermediate levers, a tension spring connecting said valve operating lever to the long'arm of the other intermediate lever, and a valve operated by the valve operating lever, said intermediate and valve operating levers and said spring being so related that motion of both intermediate levers causes the pivot of the valve operating lever to move back and forth across the center line of said spring to producesnap action of said valve operating lever.

3. Valve operating mechanism of the class .de-

scribed, comprising a chambered casing having front and rear walls and two hollow arms diverging upwardly in a plane parallel to said walls, a thermostat rod entering the casing through an opening in its rear wall, adjusting means for said rod exposed on the front wall, a controlling valve in one arm, operating means connecting said rod and valve and extending into the other arm, a

rotatable shut-off valve mounted in the casing between said two arms to turn about an axis parallel to said rod and controlling flow through a passage to said controlling valve, and a pilot valve also mounted inthe casing beyond the shutoff valve and rotatable on an axis at right angles therewith.

4; Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing, a valve, a thermostat rod, and operating connections between said rod and valve, including an actuating lever ,mounted on a fixed pivot and actuated by said rod, two intermediate levers also mounted upon fixed pivots and operated by said actuating lever, a valve operating lever pivoted upon one intermediate lever, and yielding means connecting said valve operating lever and the other intermediate lever.

'5. Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing provided with fuel supply and discharge connections, said casing having hollow arms whose axes intersect and lie in the same plane and diverge in Y form, the cavities in said arms communicating with the casing chamber, avalve in the cavity of one arm, valve operating mechanism in the cavity of the other arm, and thermostatic means including a rod extending into said casing at said intersection in a direction normal to said plane and operatively associated with said valve operating mechanism.

6. Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing provided with fuel supply and discharge connections,'said casing having hollow arms whose axes intersect and lie in the-same plane and diverge in Y form, the cavities in said arms communicating with the casing chamber, a valve in the cavity of one arm, valve operating mechanism in the cavity of the other arm, thermostatic means including a rod extending into said casing at said intersection in a direction normal to said plane and operatively associated with said valve operating mechanism, and a shutoif valve mounted in the casing between said two arms and controlling fuel flow from said supply connection to said valve.

a chambered casing provided with fuel supply and discharge connections, said casing having hollow arms whose axes intersect and lie in the same plane and diverge in Y form, the cavities in said arms communicating with the casing chamber, a valve in the cavityof one arm, valve operating mechanism in the cavity of the other arm, thermostatic means including a rod extending into said casing at said intersection in a direction normal to said plane and operatively associated with said valve operating mechanism, a shut--01? valve mounted in the casing betweensaid t'woarms and controlling fuel flow from said supply connection to said valve, said casing having a front wall parallel tosaid plane, and separate means for adjusting said thermostatic means and for operating said shut-off valve extending through the front casing wall and being thereby exposed beyond the same for manual operation.

8. Thermostatic valve mechanism, comprising a chambered casing provided with fuel supply and discharge connections, said casing having hollow arms: whose axes intersect and lie in the same plane and diverge in Y form, the cavities in said arms communicating with the casing chamher, a valve in the cavity of one arm, valve operating mechanism, including a main lever pivotally mounted in said chamber upon an axis ating said valve, and thermostatic means including a rod extending into said casing at said intersection in a, direction normal to said plane and engaging and operating said main lever.

9. In a device of the character described, the

levers lying generally parallel and actuated thereby, said intermediate levers moving t ward and g3 from each other, a snap acting lever pivoted on one intermediate lever, yielding means extending from the free end thereof to the other intermediate lever, and a controlling device operated by said snap acting lever.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a chambered casing, an actuating lever pivoted in said casing, two intermediate levers lying generally parallel and actuated thereby, said intermediate levers moving toward and 35, from each other, a snap acting lever pivoted on one intermediate lever, yielding means extending from the free end thereof to the other intermediate lever, and a controlling device operated by said snap acting lever, said act eting lever seing pivoted an an axis parallel to the plane of motiori of said intermediate levers. I

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a chambered casing, an actuating lever pivoted in said casing, two intermediate levers lying generally parallel and actuated thereby, said intermediate levers moving toward and from each other, a snap acting lever pivoted on one intermediate lever, yielding means extending from the free end thereof to the other intermediate lever; a controlling device operated by said snap acting lever, said actuating lever being pivoted on an axis parallel to the plane of motion of said intermediate levers, and a thermostatic element for operating the main lever and having a part engaging the same and moving in a direction normal to said plan e.

JQ'ESEPH A. v 

